hell

noun

ˈhel How to pronounce hell (audio)
Definition of hellnext
1
as in inferno
the place of punishment for the wicked after death condemned to hell for their sins

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2
as in nightmare
a situation or state that causes great suffering and unhappiness picking cotton under the hot summer sun was hell

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3
as in havoc
a state in which everything is out of order all hell broke loose when the jury's verdict was announced

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hell The Good Place aired on NBC for four seasons starting in 2016 and featured myriad twists and turns, principally with what the stars thought to be heaven turning out to be hell. — Dana Rose Falcone, People.com, 24 Feb. 2025 Players are corporate workers in what is basically hell. — Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 22 Feb. 2025 The correct solution to preventing the village’s total destruction at the hands of the Dark Lord will not arrive in time, and the villagers will unwittingly welcome the armies of hell into their homes. — Erik Kain, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025 Rebirth alongside Scarlett Johansson this upcoming summer, and is still trying to make a Blade reboot happen, as the movie has reportedly been stuck in development hell. — Angel Diaz, Billboard, 19 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hell
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hell
  1. inferno
  2. nightmare
  3. havoc
  4. abyss
  5. agony
  6. mess
  7. perdition
  8. misery
Noun
  • The recent battery fire in Moss Landing, Calif., turned into a towering inferno, forcing local evacuations and leading to a lawsuit from residents.
    — Katie Fehrenbacher, Axios, 5 Mar. 2025
  • These spot fires can grow into infernos that engulf your home.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025
Definition of inferno
Noun
  • For Prince’s team, the damning press was a waking nightmare.
    — Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 15 Mar. 2025
  • As a quiet panic becomes obvious in Ryan’s eyes, the happy return begins to feel like a nightmare.
    — Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of nightmare
Noun
  • Scott Bassett Orlando Trump’s policies are a money-grab Donald Trump’s trade war is causing havoc in the markets as prices rise due to insane tariffs on our closest neighbors.
    — Letters to the Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Inevitably, leaders ignore the subtle signals of havoc and become overwhelmed when major disruptions inevitably occur.
    — Dan Pontefract, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of havoc
Noun
  • Just over a year ago its Marvel Studios division was staring into an abyss.
    — Caroline Reid, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
  • In March 2020, the U.S. economy seemed to be spiraling into an abyss.
    — John Jennings, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of abyss
Noun
  • Just consider the agony of merging two or more sprawling thickets of technology.
    — Forbes, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
  • The death of this beautiful 12 year old girl and the agony of her mother and family touched our entire nation greatly.
    — NPR, NPR, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of agony
Noun
  • With all pieces enclosed under a sturdy acrylic cover, there’s no mess or lost parts.
    — Jacquelyn Smith, Parents, 10 Mar. 2025
  • After all, the door can be shut to disguise the mess.
    — Shea Simmons, People.com, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of mess
Noun
  • Appropriately for a fantasy of perdition suited to this nihilistic century, the logic of eternal punishment remains opaque.
    — Elisa Gonzalez, The New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2025
  • The perdition market did not respond to Newsweek's request for comment asking if an announcement like FanDuel's would follow.
    — Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 15 Jan. 2025
Definition of perdition
Noun
  • That system, Fritz Alphonse Jean said, has fueled immense misery and social inequalities as well as the current gang violence that has a desperate population urgently calling for help.
    — Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Indian spiritual leader and environmental campaigner Sadhguru has spoken to Newsweek about the nation's mental health, offering his secret to achieving a good state of mind by choosing joy or misery.
    — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
Definition of misery

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Cite this Entry

“Hell.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hell. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.

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